Letter sheet



y 22, 1934- H. B. JOHNSON 1,960,054

LETTER SHEET Filed Sept. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6'2 61 Gnome.

y 1934- H. B. JOHNSON 7 1,960,054

LETTER SHEET Filed Sept. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 91 farold B. Johnson.

Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT orslcs 3Clalms.

. This invention relates to letter sheets adapted to be folded to envelope, form for transmittal through the mail. More specifically it relates to such sheets which may be differently folded along 5 the same lines of fold in order to present different faces to the exterior, so that the sheet may be used more than once, as for example: it may be used to transmit through the mails a business communication to a patient or client and may again be used to'transmit a reply through the mails to the original sender. The invention comprehends, generally, a single sheet of paper divided by lines of fold into a plurality of sections, at least one of the sections having a transparent window, and another section having one or more divisions for receiving an address which may be brought into registry with the window, to be visible therethrough, to indicate to whom the letter is to be delivered. 10 by folding the sections about the lines of fold Upon delivery of the letter, it may be refolded to bring a window into registry with another'address division containing matter to indicate the person or place or both, to which the letter is to be rte-delivered.

Means are provided for sealing the letter at its edges after it has been folded, both for mailing and for remailing, so that either or both times. articles such as checks, notices, money or the like, may safely be enclosed.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of several typical embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the letter sheet, one section being partially folded, exhibiting address and other indicia on one side thereof Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the sheet reversed and in the form it assumes after having been once sealed and then opened, the view disclosing the address and other indicia on the surfaces thereof opposite those shown in Fig. 1, one

section being in folded position;

. Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1

showing a modified letter sheet;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another form of letter sheet utilizing the principles of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar toFig. ,1 showing still another modified form of the inventiun;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the letter sheet shown in Fig. 5, as it appears while being folded for a first mailing; and

Fig. 'l is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VII-VII of F18. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating diagrammatically another manner of arranging the I sections of the letter sheet shown in the preceding figures.

As shown in Fig. 1 the letter sheet includes a plurality of sections 11, 12 and 13 joined at fold hues 14 and 15 respectively. These sections may each comprise a separate sheet having an articulated connection to the adjacent section at the fold lines indicated, but they are preferably formed of a single sheet of paper, or like material, the lines 01'- fold preferably being demarcated by scoring or perforating.

A window 16, illustrated as being of transparent material, such as celluloid, is provided in the section 13, it being understood, however, that the term window is used generically and will include an aperture. A pair of sealing flaps 1'7 are provided at the side edges of the section 13 and a second pair'of sealing flaps 18 are provided at the side edges of the section 12. i

For convenience in description the surfaces of the sections on oneside of the sheet have been designated by the letter A, and the. surfaces on the opposite side of the sheet have been designated by the letter-B. In folding the sheet to envelope form, the section 13 always comprises the front of the envelope, its surface 13 being exposed at the time of original mailing, and its surface A being exposed at a subsequent mailing. For this reason surface B of section 13 may be provided with return address indicia 19 of the original sender, and the surface 3 of'section 11 no is provided with address division 21, for containing the address of the person and place to which the letter, is to be first mailed. The division 1 is o disposed on section 11, that, w 3111 face A of section 11 is folded into contact with surface A of section 12 and section 13 is folded thereover, the division 21 and indicia contained on it will be directly under and will be visible through the window-16. Surface 13 of section 11 may also contain indicia 22, which may be a no statement of money owing, advertising matter, or other communication. The address division may have the address already printed therein or it may be left in blank for the sender to write in the address.

The surfaces A of flaps 1'1 and 18 and the marginal edge portion 23 of surface A'of section 11 adjacent the fold line '14 are coated with adhesive material as indicated in the drawings. and, after the divisional has been addressed and the folding the sections 13 to overlie the section 11.

The surfaces A of flaps 17 may then be wetted and by folding the flaps along lines 24, be brought into contact with surface B of section 12, which comprises the back of the envelope during original sending, A stamp 25 may then be affixed to surface B of section 13, finally preparing the envelope for mailing. It will be understood that before sealing the flaps 17 an enclosure may be placed in the envelope between the sections 11 and 12.

- Upon receipt of the letter by the. person to whom, it was originally addressed, it may be opened by cutting along lines 24, thus severing the flaps 17 from the section 13 but otherwise leaving the sheet intact. It may be thereafter returned to the original sender or to another person by refolding and sealing, it bein understood that further communications may e written upon the surfaces B of sections 11 and 12 and surface A of" section 13. The letter may be prepared for remailing by: placing address indicia in address division 26 on surface A ofsection 11. and return address indicia at 27 on surface A of section 13; by folding the section 11 over section 12 to bring the surfaces B thereof into adjacency; folding the flaps 18 over the section 11; and then folding the section 13 over section 11 and the flaps, the surfaces A of the flaps 18 and the marginal portion 23 of the section 11 first being wetted to effect sealing of the envelope.

It will be understood that address division 26, in this folde d position of the letter, is directly under the window 16 in order that the address indicia thereon may be visible. The surfaces A of sections 13 and 12 now comprise the front and rear exposed surfaces of the envelope, the surfaces of section 11, except for the address division 26 and the surfaces B of sections 12 and '13, the latter containing thenow cancelled strip 25, beingconcealed from view. It will further be understood that enclosures may be safely placed between sections 11 and 12, since all edges of the envelope may be sealed. In the event the letter is intendedto be used for return to the original sender, the address indicia in division 26 may be printed or otherwise entered therein before the original mailing.

In the modified letter sheet depicted in Fig. 3, three sections 31, 32 and 33 are joined at lines of fold 34 and 35. Pairs of flaps 36 and 37 are joined at lines of fold 38 and 39, respectively, to the side edges of sections 31 and 33, and transparent windows 41 and 42, respectively, are provided in the sections 31 and 33. On the surface of the section 31, indicated B, an address division 43 is provided.- On the surface A of section 33 a re-address division 44 is provided and the surfaces B of flaps 36 are coated with adhesive and the surfaces Aof the flaps 37 are coated with adhesive.

In preparing the letter for original mailing the section 31 is folded about line 34 to bring the surface A thereof into adjacency with the surface A of section 32, the flaps 36 being folded to lie between sections 31 and 32, and the section 33 is folded about the line of fold 35 to overlie the section 31, the surfaces A of flaps 3'17 being folded and sealed against the surface B of section 32. As illustrated, the window 42 is so related to the address division 43 that address indicia on the latter will be visible therethrough. Upon receipt of the letter, it may be opened by severing the flaps 37 from section 33 along the lines of fold 39. The letter may then be refolded for remailing by folding section 33 to bring its surface B into adjacency with surface B of section 32, and the section 31 folded to overlie section 33, the window 41 being so positioned relative to the re-address division 44- that it will overlie the latter to permit vision of address indicia contained on it. The flaps 36 may then be folded over and sealed to surface A of section 32.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 4, each of the three sections 51, 52 and 53 is connected to the adjacent section at a line of fold 54 or 55. Section 52 is provided with a window 56, and sections 52 and 53 have, along their side edges, 57 and 58, pairs of flaps 59 and 61, respectively. Sections 51 and 52 have divisions 62 and 63, respectively, for receiving address and readdress indicia. Both divisions in this illustrated embodiment are on surfacesA of the sections, the flaps 59 and 61 also being coated with adhesive on their surfaces A. To prepare the letter for mailing to the address indicated in division 62, section 53 is brought into adjacency with surface A of section 52, the flaps 61 being folded to lie between sections 52 and 53; section 51 is folded to overlie section 53 and the flaps .59 are folded and sealed against surface B of section 51. It will be understood that when this is folded, the division 62 will register with the window 56. To open the letter, the flaps 59 are severed along lines 57, and to prepare for remailing to the address indicated in division 63, the section 51 is first brought into adjacency with surface A of section 52; section 53 is folded to overlie; section 51; and the flaps 61 are folded and sealed against surface B of section 52. During both original and return mailing, all of the surfaces A of the sheet, except for the divisions 62 and 63 will be concealed so that private or confldential messages or otner information may be division 82 on the surface A thereof and a return' a or second address division 83 on the opposite surface, B, thereof. As shown' in Fig. 1, the surface A of the flaps 79 are coated with adhesive matter. To prepare the letter sheet for mailing to the address indicated in division 82 on surface A at section 71, section 71 may be folded into adjacency with surface B of section 72, as depicted in Fig. 7, the flaps 78 beingpositioned between the sections 71 and 72. Section 73 is then folded over section 71, causing the window 81 to register with the address division 82, and the flaps 79 are inserted but not sealed, between the sections 71 and 72, the one flapbeing shown as fully inserted and the other as partially inserted in Fig. 6.

The sheets will be retained in this folded position without the use of adhesive by the engagement of the flaps 79, and, upon receipt by the person to whom it is addressed, may be opened,

by Pulling out the flaps 79, as indicated to the .150

sealed against surface B of section 72 By folding the letter sheet in this manner, it does not, during original mailing, constitute a sealed envelope", since flaps have not been sealed, so that lower postage rates may be utilized. Upon remailing, the envelope may, if desired, be sealed, to make safe any enclosures.

It will be understood that in the different forms of the invention herein described certain of the section surfaces are inturned or concealed during both original mailing and remailing so that messages or communications of a confidential nature may be sent through the mails with privacy.

It will further be understood that the forms of the invention hereinbefore described, are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that they may be modified within the preview of this invention, in various manners, as for example as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, wherein the end sections 91 and 92 extend from adjacent edges 93, 94 of the intermediate section 93, rather than from opposite edges thereof.

I claim:

1. A letter sheet comprising a window panel and an address panel having a designated sending address space on one face thereof and a designated return address space on the opposite .face thereof, a body panel intermediate of said window and address panels, tabs on said window panel for sealing said sheet for first mailing, and tabs on said body panel for sealing said sheet for return mailing.

2. A letter sheet comprising a window panel and an address panel having a designated sending address space on one face and a designated -return address space on the opposite face, and

a body panel intermediate of said window and address panels, said window panel and said address panel being folded against one face of said body panel for original mailing and folded against the opposite face of said body panel for return mailing, with said address space visible through said window panel when folded.

3. A letter sheet comprising a window panel, an address panel having a designated sending address space on one face thereof and a designated return address space on the opposite face thereof in registry with said sending address space, and a body panel intermediate of said window and address panels, said address spaces being interchangeably exposed beneath said window panel by folding said address panel oppositely about said window. panel.

HAROLD B. JOHNSON. 

